This invention relates to a stand for a percussion instrument and, more particularly, to a stand for keeping cymbals over the floor.
A typical example of the stand for a percussion instrument is shown in FIG. 1. The prior art stand is called as xe2x80x9chigh hat standxe2x80x9d, and keeps high hat cymbals 1/2 within ready reach of a player. The prior art high hat stand comprises a telescopic guide 3, an extension rod 4, a foldable tripod 5 and a frame 6. Plural pipes 7/8, a coupling 9 and a thumbscrew 10 constitute the telescopic guide 3. A threaded hole is formed in the coupling 9, and the coupling 9 is attached to the pipe 7. The pipe 8 is stretchable from and retractable into the pipe 7, and the thumbscrew 10 fixes the pipes 7/8 to a current relative position. The extension rod 4 is inserted into the telescopic guide 3, and projects from both ends of the telescopic guide 3. The bottom cymbal 1 is fixed to the upper end of the pipe 8, and the top cymbal 2 is fixed to the extension rod 4. When the extension rod 4 is pulled into the telescopic guide 3, the top cymbal 2 is crashed against the bottom cymbal 1.
The foldable tripod 5 includes three legs 5a/5b/5c, retainer rings 11/12 and three foldable stays 13/14/15. The three legs 5a/5b/5c are connected at upper ends thereof to the retainer ring 11, and the retainer ring 11 is fixed to the pipe 7. The other retainer ring 12 is also fixed to the pipe 7, and is closer to the floor than the retainer ring 11. The three legs 5a/5b/5c are angularly spaced at 120 degrees. The foldable stays 13/14/15 are connected at the inner ends thereof to the retainer ring 12 and at the outer ends thereof to the legs 5. When the stays 13/14/15 are stretched, the tripod 5 braces the legs 5a/5b/5c on the floor, and keeps the guide 3 and, accordingly, the high hat cymbals 1/2 upright.
The frame 6 has an L-letter shape, and the pipe 7 is fixed to the vertical portion of the frame 6. The frame 6 is placed on the floor, and the bottom portion of the frame 6 is held in contact with the floor.
The prior art high hat stand further comprises a foot pedal 20 and a spring unit 21. The foot pedal 20 includes a heel 22 and a foot board 23. The heel 22 may be integral with the bottom portion of the frame 6, and the foot board 23 is hinged at one end thereof to the heel 22 and at the other end thereof to the extension rod 4.
The spring unit 21 includes a cylindrical case 24, a return spring (not shown) and a plunger 25. The cylindrical case 24 is fixed to the pipe 7, and the return spring is accommodated in the cylindrical case 24. The return spring is connected at one end thereof to the cylindrical case 24 and at the other end thereof to the plunger 25. The plunger 25 downwardly projects from the cylindrical case 24, and is connected to the extension rod 4. Thus, the spring unit 21 is connected between the guide 3 and the extension rod 4, and urges the extension rod 4 upwardly. This results in that the top cymbal 2 is spaced from the bottom cymbal 1 and that the foot board 23 is pulled up over the bottom portion of the frame 6.
A problem is encountered in the prior art high hat stand in that the leg 5b/5c is an obstacle to the player. In detail, when the stays 13/14/15 are stretched, the legs 5a/5b/5c, the guide 3 and the foot pedal 20 are located on the floor as shown in FIG. 2. The foot pedal 20 is opposed to the leg 5a with respect to the guide 3, and the legs 5b and 5c are located on both sides of the foot pedal 20. The legs 5a/5b/5c are equally spaced from one another, and the angle xcex8 between two adjacent legs 5a/5b/5c is 120 degrees.
The set of high hat cymbals is used as a member of a drum set, and the prior art high hat stand is arranged around a drummer together with other drums and cymbal. It is rare that the high hat cymbals 1/2 are placed just in front of the drummer. The high hat cymbals are usually placed on either side of the drummer, and the drums are crowded around the drummer together with the high hat stand. This means that the space among the percussion instruments is narrow.
While the drummer is beating other percussion instruments, he rests the foot on the floor, or repeats the step on the foot pedal for another percussion instrument such as a bass drum. In order to generate the clapping sound from the high hat cymbals, he moves the foot onto the foot board 23 before crashing the high hat cymbals 1/2, and steps on the foot board 23. He is liable to hit his leg against the leg 5b/5c, and feels the leg 5b/5c obstacle.
A solution of the problem is a high hat stand disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication of Unexamined Application No. 10-232670 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,706. The prior art high hat stand has two legs spread from a guide pipe. The guide pipe upwardly projects from a frame, and a foot pedal is assembled with the frame. The two legs cooperate with the foot pedal so as to keep the guide pipe stable on the floor. The two legs are opposed to the foot pedal with respect to the guide pipe, and any leg is not located on both sides of the foot pedal. Thus, the prior art high hat stand expands the space around the foot pedal, and allows the player to easily access the foot pedal.
Although the legs are decreased from three to two, the two legs are still required for the prior art high hat stand, and are spread from the guide pipe toward the floor. As described hereinbefore, the high hat cymbals are usually used together with other percussion instruments such as drums, and the high hat stand and the drums are arranged around the player in crowed fashion. The prior art two-leg high hat stand vacates the space on both sides of the foot pedal, and allows the player to easily access the foot pedal. However, the prior art two-leg high hat stand does not allow another instrument to occupy the space between the two-legs and the guide pipe. This results in that the prior art two-leg high hat stand makes the space opposite to the foot pedal crowded. In other words, the prior art two-leg high hat stand is still an obstacle to the compact arrangement of percussion instruments.
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a stand for percussion instrument which is compactly arranged together with other percussion instruments.
To accomplish the object, the present invention proposes to support a guide member by using a footing member connected through a single leg thereto.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stand for a musical instrument, comprising a holder for keeping the musical instrument over a surface, a driver placed on the surface, connected to the holder for keeping the holder and the musical instrument over the surface and linked with the musical instrument so that a player produces sound by actuating the musical instrument through the driver, and a position sustainer for preventing the holder and the musical instrument from falling and including a single leg having one end portion connected to the holder and extending toward the surface and a footing member connected to the other end portion of the single leg and held in contact with the surface.